Macroalgae Island Scape

[sam_the_reefer]

6 minutes ago, billygoat said:

I feel the same way! I know it's hard to get ocean live rock from anywhere other than Florida nowadays, but I always advocate it for the same reason you mention here: it provides a diverse bacterial culture plus an ammonia source that allows those bacteria to establish themselves, all in one convenient package. 😁 And the smell is simply superb. 👌

We agree on the smell. 👌 i would have preferred fresh live rocks over these sun dried ones though, but these are the only ones available at the moment. Eventually I'll seed this tank with smaller live rocks from the ocean.

[sam_the_reefer]

No green algae yet, but the diatoms have started to die off and the cleanup crew are busy doing their work.

 

[sam_the_reefer]

I see some hints of green algae now. The cleanup crew did a great job and really cleaned the rocks back to white. But now I'm having a bacterial and pod bloom. This tank needs some fish and filter feeders. 

 

 

 

[sam_the_reefer]

Macroalgae and seed rocks added! Hopefully the macroalgae will do well and the turf and hitchhiker algae that survive on the seed rocks will colonize the dead rocks. A lot of microfauna were introduced along with the macros as well. I'm also experimenting with a small blue finger sponge frag and some spoon grass. My kid also added some clams that she collected on the beach. 🙂

 

I plan on adding some frostfin cardinals for fish soon. Maybe a possum wrasse as well.

 

[sam_the_reefer]

Weekly update, the system is doing well so far. I haven't secured the macros to the rocks since I wanted the option to move them if they didn't like the spot they're on, so some have fallen to the back. I'm not sure if the turbinaria and sargassum are doing well, but it's not dying. (I think)

 

The experimental blue sponge that I thought would be a goner is actually recovering. It's a Callyspongia Samarensis frag.

 

Spoon grass is not dead.

 

Sideview showing the back

 

[sam_the_reefer]

Update for the week. Still no fish, but the tank is aging well. The CUC keeps knocking over the macros, so the placements have changed a bit. I might glue the turbinaria frags to the rock soon.

 

In not so good news, the CUC bulldozed the sponge and now the other sponge branch is missing. But the remaining frag has attached and seems to be growing.

 

the bulldozer

 

good news is the ovalis seems to be growing and not just staying alive.

 

[sam_the_reefer]

Still fishless but chugging along.

 

[banasophia]

Looking really good… very nice transformation. 

[sam_the_reefer]

What's left of the sponge frag. Sad.

[sam_the_reefer]

I just acclimated a small molly into this tank and I really like it! It looks like it belongs here, and blends in well with the black background (it's a gold dust molly that's mostly black). I currently have a male and will add 2 more females and the last fish will be a true saltwater fish, maybe a purple firefish if available.

[LazyFish]

I realy like the look of this tank!

[A.m.P]

5 hours ago, xellos88 said:

I just acclimated a small molly into this tank and I really like it! It looks like it belongs here, and blends in well with the black background (it's a gold dust molly that's mostly black). I currently have a male and will add 2 more females and the last fish will be a true saltwater fish, maybe a purple firefish if available.

If you want to avoid all the babies getting caught in filter floss or otherwise dying you could just go for a fraternity, same sex mollies usually behave pretty well.

[sam_the_reefer]

11 minutes ago, A.m.P said:

If you want to avoid all the babies getting caught in filter floss or otherwise dying you could just go for a fraternity, same sex mollies usually behave pretty well.

Good point on the babies.

[A.m.P]

2 minutes ago, xellos88 said:

Good point on the babies.

It'll possibly prolong the lifespan of the males too, livebearer /shrug, they won't live as long as females, but hey, getting more than two or three years from a male is pretty solid.
I also love mollies in saltwater, they look stellar under blue light and are surprisingly-strong swimmers.

[sam_the_reefer]

I'll make the male/female decision until after I get the true saltwater fish then. If a Liopropoma or similar interesting carnivorous type fish is available on my visit to the fish shop this weekend, adding females would be better because the babies will be a natural food source. Otherwise I'll go for all males.

[banasophia]

What made you decide on mollies rather than saltwater fish? I always think that one of the advantages of keeping a saltwater tank is the variety of colorful fish available, so I’m always curious when people stock mollies. 

[sam_the_reefer]

1 minute ago, banasophia said:

What made you decide on mollies rather than saltwater fish? I always think that one of the advantages of keeping a saltwater tank is the variety of colorful fish available, so I’m always curious when people stock mollies. 

This is a planted saltwater tank, so it's in that zone before you get to the reef where it's usually macroalgae dominated. I've seen the occasional molly while snorkeling in this zone near an estuary, but just the drab grey kind (probably washed out to sea by the rain). So it kinda belongs in this environment. It gives me a break from looking at reef fish in my other tank. It's a nostalgic feeling watching them swim around, you can remember the sense of awe when you were a kid and looking at your first aquarium.

Also, I have a pond full of mollies outside. ^__^  

Mollies are also colorful.

[banasophia]

30 minutes ago, xellos88 said:

This is a planted saltwater tank, so it's in that zone before you get to the reef where it's usually macroalgae dominated. I've seen the occasional molly while snorkeling in this zone near an estuary, but just the drab grey kind (probably washed out to sea by the rain). So it kinda belongs in this environment. It gives me a break from looking at reef fish in my other tank. It's a nostalgic feeling watching them swim around, you can remember the sense of awe when you were a kid and looking at your first aquarium.

Also, I have a pond full of mollies outside. ^__^  

Mollies are also colorful.

That’s cool… looking forward to seeing them in your tank. 

[A.m.P]

3 hours ago, banasophia said:

What made you decide on mollies rather than saltwater fish? I always think that one of the advantages of keeping a saltwater tank is the variety of colorful fish available, so I’m always curious when people stock mollies. 

They also eat epiphytes and keep macros, and even rockwork, fairly-clean.

[sam_the_reefer]

So someone posted a link to Chuck's site (a copy of his site...) and this brings back memories. I live on this island and Chuck's reef is where I get my NSW.
https://chucksaddiction.thefishestate.net/reeftour.html

I've read all of his articles and he's the one who inspired me to start a reef tank. I haven't met him personally though, and I don't think he lives here anymore. The way he described H.Ovalis here is the reason why I chose to start with this seagrass. https://chucksaddiction.thefishestate.net/The Natural Reef Aquarium Part Two.html

[A.m.P]

I thought that site went down, wasn't aware someone had re-hosted it, great to see.

[sam_the_reefer]

Update for this tank, new LS have been added over the weekend and it's still chugging along. 

 

All fish are visible in this shot.

 

Two mollies here

 

Haven't given up on the sponge

 

Old Ovalis leaves are dying but new leaves are growing.

 

[sam_the_reefer]

Also, red cyano have been matting/sliming on the top of the tentacles, I just cleaned it up before the FTS. 

[sam_the_reefer]

The firefish died. 😞 I think it was some kind of internal parasite.

 

[sam_the_reefer]

Ochtodes mounted.